The English Lord
by MarandaSmith12
Summary: (The characters in this story belong to SJM) Youngest of the Archaron family, Feyre, has been pushed to pursue a distant relative to the Queen, Lord Tamlin Spring after they are seen interacting during his annual ball. Desperate to keep her feelings down, Feyre tries her best to not fall for the young lord, and the dangers he and a Scottish lord will come with it all.


One: Before the Masquerade

I closed my eyes, feeling the cold breeze bite on my face as I smelled the snow in the air. It had snowed a few inches the night before, making tracking harder than it already was. We aren't allowed to hunt elk in England, and we deer are scarce. I certainly didn't want to come home after a week of hunting with a few rabbits and maybe a squirrel. It'd be too pathetic, and Nesta and mother would just point out that hunting is just a waste of time.

Feeling the frustration rise in my throat, I snapped my eyes open and saw a rabbit-male and abnormally large, staring straight at me. I pulled out an arrow from my quiver, knocked it into my bowstring, carefully pulled back and aimed. I hesitated only for a minute, to see if the bastard would run. He didn't. Just stared at me, basically asking me to kill him. So I did. I released my arrow and watched as it flew towards the thing and sunk into his forehead. The rabbit fell to its side, blood staining the pure white snow.

Fuck what mother thinks. I thought as I walked over to the rabbit, my pocket knife out now, bouncing off the afternoon sun and snow. Fuck what Nesta thinks. I like hunting. I like working for my food every day. I thought as I began to skin and gut the animal. Soon enough, I'll get to leave that suffocating house, and never have to hear mother's screeching nags ever again. The thought was almost too good to be true. Leaving the Archeron manor would not be easy. Mother still lives in a time where young girls went from living in their parents' house to a holding house/dorm room in University to their husbands' house. Father doesn't really care what I do, as long as I leave him to his business.

After what seemed like forever, I dragged myself, my winnings bag, and my camping supplies towards my truck. If I have to face the snobbish look on my mother's face, it might as well be today. Tonight, we were invited to a masquerade by the Spring family. And apparently, it would be a great insult if we didn't show up for their event.

Every year, they throw the same party, at the same place and at the same time. Always from six thirty until one in the morning. And at midnight, the guests were told to remove their masks with whoever they were with all night. I've been forced to attend three parties after I turned sixteen. This is the third one. Hopefully, after this year, I'll have more of a choice of everything.

The ride home wasn't as terrible as I had originally thought. The roads weren't as icy, and most of the snow had been cleared, thanks to farmers and early risers that live far out from the city. But, I knew the real treacherous things were waiting for me at home. I could almost see it; mother would be sitting in the foyer, telling the maids that they were doing a horrible job at cleaning but not doing anything to correct them other than yelling and cursing at them. Nesta would be in the dining room, finishing her lunch and reading the entertainment section of the newspaper, Elain giving father something to eat in his study that he most likely will spend the night in.

I parked my car in the garage, grabbed my things and went inside to see that the dining room was empty, the foyer was empty, even my father's study was empty for the first time in a month. "Hello?" I called out, feeling a slight fear grip my stomach. "Feyre?" Elain's voice called out from the kitchen. "I'm in here!" I walked into the kitchen and saw Elain's lovely soft face having bits of flour on it, her hands' snow white, and a large full body apron tied around her beautiful clothes.

"What are you doing?" I asked, scared to know the answer. "I'm trying to make pastries," she said with a small smile on her face. "I thought it might be nice to make my own snacks while Kelsy is on maternity leave." Kelsy was our person cook. She cooked nearly everything for us, from breakfast all the way to midnight snacks. Before she met her husband, she lived in one of the guest houses on our estate. Her and Elain have grown close to each other and I admire that. How easily my older sister could make friends.

"Thomas was here yesterday." She said in a quiet voice. "He was looking for you." I rolled my eyes. "I know. He nearly caused my phone to die this morning after texting and calling me so many times. I guess he wants to keep up our-"

"Please stop," Elain interjected, her hands close to covering her ears. "I know what you two do alone together, I don't need to know the details." I laughed at my sister as I put my winnings bag in the sink, and my quiver and bow on the small table towards the back of the kitchen. "Where is everyone?" I asked, helping Elain finish making her bread. "Nesta and Mummy went to get fitted for their dresses, and dad is at a meeting with the Spring's, and Autumn's." She reported as I cut the rolled up dough in half. I couldn't help but look over at my beautiful sister as I said the following words; "And how is Graysen?" Her pale complexion turned a bright pink as she shrugged. "He is alright. He asked to meet me in a certain place at the party tonight over the phone," she said quietly. I couldn't help but smile at my sister's words.

It was obvious she was very smitten with Graysen, but it was honestly adorable how she tried not to show her feelings for the young man. "That's great, Elain," I said honestly. I didn't like Graysen that much, but I hardly knew him, so I didn't get to judge my sister's taste in men, just yet.

After a very peaceful hour, Nesta and mother stormed into the kitchen, their hair in hair curlers, and no trace of makeup on either of their faces. "Elain, Feyre!" Boomed our mother's voice out into the silence. "Bathe, and head to your rooms, I have your dresses waiting for you." Elain and I squeezed pasted mother as Nesta hooked arms with our middle sister and rushed her towards the stairs. "You smell of dead animals," Nesta said simply as she walked past me. "Love you too, Nesta," I replied, almost shoving past Nesta, making her stumble towards the banister as I made it into the second-floor bathroom, and ignored my eldest sister's profanity that she tried to hurt me with.

I stared at the dress that my mother and sisters had chosen for me for this masquerade. It was a long A-line floor length dress, off the shoulder sleeves and it was a beautiful dark blue. "At least it's better than the butterfly dress from last year." Said Nesta, leaning against my doorway. "You chose it, didn't you?" I asked, staring at her reflection in my mirror. Nesta didn't say anything. Just smiled at me as she shut the door. "I'd hurry up on hair and makeup, mother will make you walk at this rate."

Getting dolled up wasn't something that I was used to, so once my hair was dried, I put it in a over the shoulder braid. With makeup, Elain was able to help me by giving me winged eyeliner, red lipstick, and make my cheekbones more noticeable. I was truly grateful for Elain, and sometimes for Nesta. Without either one of them, I'd hear mother's incessant nagging twenty four hours a week. "And now, your mask," said the more beautiful Archeron sister as she handed me a blue mask with fake sapphires all around it. The mask was beautiful. There was no denying that, and Elain's makeup made me look... More attractive, but, it all felt like I was wearing someone else's skin, living someone else's life. As usual, I tried my best to shake off the feeling as I rose to my feet, mask in hand, and phone safely tucked in my bra. "Let's go." I said in the best attitude I could muster, letting my sisters lead the way down the stairs in order of oldest to youngest. Mother of course was wearing a ball gown with lots and lots of ruffles, her hair done so high, I was sure that we would have to take a convertible, and makeup almost too over done. If she would choose that for herself. I thought. Then I pity father for whatever she's making him wear.

When we arrived at the Spring manor-after pictures, fixing mother's hair, and talking father into at least consider wearing his tie-it was seven forty, and people from High Houses in most of Europe were already arriving. The manor was as big and bright as it always was whenever I am forced to come here, and judging by mother's face, to her standards we were late. "Even the Autumn's are here before us!" She hissed, gesturing towards the group of boys and Mrs. Autumn. "They're never on time, even when they bother to show up at all!"

"To be fair dear, they do live much farther than we do, and have much more to do." Pointed out father as he tightened my mask. Mother just waved him off, standing up straighter. "Come, family. We have an entrance to make." Mother and father linked arms before walking side by side up the stone stairs and into the loud and bright manor. I looked at my sisters, both of them wearing masks now. Elain had a monarch butterfly themed dress with a matching mask, and Nesta was the day sky on earth. Looking around now, I began to slowly realize that I was the only one here with something plain on. I scowled at Nesta, who just smirked before linking arms with Elain. "Come on, sisters," she said calmly. "Let's enjoy the party. And who knows, one of us might walk away with a very good offer tonight." I rolled my eyes at Nesta as I followed shortly behind her. It was going to be Elain. Of course it was! We all knew that Graysen was going to ask her for a serious courtship soon. So why not tonight? Supposedly, it was the most romantic event of the year, so it was perfect timing.

I tried not to think too much about me sticking out as I walked into the manor, getting ready to give my alias to the announcer at the door. Every year, I gave the same name, Huntress of Artemis. It was starting to lose it's awe factor. So when I was asked for my alias, I just went for something as simple as my dress and mask; the meaning of my name. "Introducing, the youngest sister of the Butterfly and the Sky, Fairy."


End file.
